Life 3: What School's Really For
Life.3 Part 1 . . . Wake Up! 'Where am I? What is this place?' Wake Up!! 'This black and empty place. Where am I? How did get here? I can't move.' Wake Up!!! 'I'm so tired. I can't move. I have no more strength left in me. Why? I can't remember.' I said: WAKE UP! I shook out from my puzzled state. A deep and booming voice was all that surrounded me. This black and endless void I was in. I didn't remover how I got here, I didn't know where this was, but I wad just floating here. I couldn't tell where up or down was 'Who? Who are you?' You are weak 'I know already. Don't need to tell me that.' You are weak, and only human 'Wait, I've heard you before.' Who else had been putting me down my whole journey. Telling me what to do and calling me an idiot. You need to be strong 'You were in my head.' You need to get stronger 'Are you listening to me?' You need to be the strongest The voice echoed for minutes. I doubted my perception of time was accurate, but I had no way of telling seconds from minutes I this place. I wasn't even able to speak through my mouth. Words were just sprouting from my thoughts. Crows are circling 'What crows?' Bats are reaping 'Reaping? Death, you mean death. People are dying? Whose dying?' They are coming 'Don't ignore me. Who's coming?' Power draws power This voice, sounded like me, at least that's what I thought it always sounded like. But hearing it now, it's too deep and too . . . inhuman. Every syllable vibrates this empty void in hatred and fear. Too simplistic emotions. Destroy As it said that, cracks started appearing over the black and peaks of white starting breaking through. Not light, just white. Destroy! 'Destroy what?' Destroy Them All! Awaken! I started feeling something. I had feeling back in my body. I was aching now. It hurt. A sharp pain in my chest, all over it, and a split in my head, between my eyes. 'Who are you?' I wasn't leaving till I know who this was. If he or it, was living in my head, who was it? Awaken!! The pain got sharper. I stared feeling like I was fading away. I couldn't keep on seeing. The whiteness continued cracking through the black. I felt my breathing was back, slow. Too slow. I couldn't stay alert. 'Who are you!' Awaken!!! My mouth was awake. It went dry, my tongue was stuck to to bottom of my mouth. My eyes were blurring out. My ears started ringing. I couldn't hear anymore. The White was breaking through. My limbs were too heavy. I couldn't move, and I could feel myself being pulled. 'Who Are You!' I then couldn't go any further. My eyes rolled back and the pain shook me till I couldn't bear it any longer. . . . I was sure I was dead. . . . . . . . . . - Would you die for me? . . . - Uh, pardon? - If, by some random chance, someone comes here and tries to kill me. Would you die for me, Zeni-kun? . . . Zeni-kun? Only one person calls me that. . . . I still ache. But I feel warm now. I feel warmer. I can breathe again. My mouth is no longer dry. - No, I wouldn't . . . I said that didn't I? I did. - I wouldn't let myself die, but I sure as hell wouldn't let anyone hurt you either. The pain, is going. The White is vanishing. The black is already gone. It's being replaced. In green light. I remember saying that. It was my date. My first date. With anyone. With her. - If that chance ever came, I would do all I could to stay alive defending you, so that you'll still have someone you can trust when it's all over. . . . With Akane. Green is her colour. The aura that envelops her. So powerful, and so green. - Thank you. . . . 'No, thank you.' I could feel her kiss again. The way it makes my mind go fuzzy. I don't know why. But, I like it. I was no longer exhausted. I was just asleep. . . . "Is he awake yet?" I opened my eyes. I'm still, nowhere. But I can hear someone talking. "No, he's still resting, Kumi. That power took a lot out if him." This blue void I'm now in. It's unlike the black or the white I saw earlier. There's a golden ring surrounding the horizon. I am alert, but I still cannot move. "If he was a devil, senpai, he could of easily recovered his stamina and taken a few more hits. What I expect from a runt though." I can hear them. Speaking, but I can't tell from where. "Should we do anything else?" "No, I've done all I can. It will take time, but he'll recover." I wasn't able to see anyone. But there were shaped forming; I don't know how I see them, but there are four people here. No doubt the Devils were surrounding me. I can hear them. I saw one with silver wings. Standing over me. I saw one with a purple arm. Leaning against the wall. I saw one with a cyan blade. Standing to the side of coffee table. I saw one with green aura. Sitting on the desk. I saw one with . . . Nothing. just nothing. Sitting on the settee. I only saw them as black shadows. But something that stood out from all of them, I could see those. Not clearly, but it didn't need to be. It was enough of a clue. Cyan blade (Masako) turned her head. The movement looked like dye being pushed through a cloud whilst floating in water. Parts separated and disappeared while others were created to fix in the gaps. "My lady, can I ask why you decided on him?" "You've seen the Gear he had. That's obviously why, take him before someone else snatches him up." Purple arm (Takeshi) answered. "Still, I don't like it." "Is something wrong, Masako-san?" "I don't know. I smell something from him. An aura. I don't know, but I definitely don't like it." Who are they taking about. I don't understand why I am able to hear them, but barely see them. "Do you mean like in Kumi's Gear? There's something in there?" "That's what confuses me, Takeshi; it's definitely not like Ayida. It's . . . something more dread. But it's broken, that's what I don't like about it." "Could you sense it too, Ayida?" {Yes, Kumi. Something dark and twisted. But it's incomplete.} I heard another voice. I saw something flashing from silver wings (Kumi). A few short bursts of green light every syllable. I think, I've heard it before. "Incomplete huh? So you think he's even aware?" {He didn't know he had a Sacred Gear, so I doubt he's even aware of its existence.} Cyan blade started getting edgy with the sword. "Either way, I think that we cannot leave it on him. I say we cut that thing from him and destroy the Gear." Black shadow (Suzue, I presume) shook her head. Parts of her figure broke away and reformed when she finished. "You can't. You'd kill him." Purple arm moved he moved forward, like he was getting bigger. No, he was getting closer. Wait, they're taking about me, aren't they? "Then, I'll just take it. Gear!" "I wouldn't-" My whole space light up in golden light. Equate! Purple arm shook like a puff of smoke and rippled a long distance and a crash against the wall was heard. "Told you." "The fuck just happened?" Green aura (Akane) stepped up and walked closer to my view. A trail of light followed behind her and parts of her still emitted aura even after they broke off till they disappeared like always. "It seems to work on physical attacks too." I heard a cling of china as black shadow retracted. I'm guessing she had tea, or whatever she was drinking earlier today again. "Whatever is there, doesn't want to leave." "You think it can hear us?" silver wings asked her wings. {I highly doubt that it could respond to us if it could} Green aura knelt by. I felt her hand press over my view. No, I can see her hand. Not a black shadow. Her hand. Rubbing against the view. She pulled her hand and the blotches encassed it again. "For now we'd better leave it. Since we know very little about it, maybe this would actually be a good time to do a club activity." "Senpai?" "As the Esotericism Club, it's our job to research religion and mythologies. With the books the school has provided us, and some personal literacies from the House of Naberius' collection." "Yes, that would be best, Akane-oneesan." "Alright then, now we just need to move him. According to the school schedules, if he misses his afternoon lessons, they wonder where he's gone, and since he hasn't signed up with us, he won't have any excuses. Suzu-chan, can you take care of that for me?" "Yes, my King. I'll do what you ask." "Great. Hmmhmm." "What was funny?" "Zeni-kun's like a little puppy when he's sleeping." Sleeping? Me? So, I am really here, then, where is this me? If they have my body, where has my consciousness wound up? I saw black shadow approach me, then I felt my whole perspective being tossed over her. . . . Wait? She's holding my body. So that means I'm still here. Blue? Where on earth is me where there is blue? {Earlier, you never answered Masako's question, Lady Akane. May I ask why that is?} "Ayida!" Silver wings complained, but green aura stopped her with her raised hand. Her arm broke, but it remerged as her image stopped moving. "I saw something I knew was missing-" Then the shadows dropped like pillars of sand, and soon were scattered like starry sky. 'Wait! She isn't finished!' Destroy! The voice was back. But it was weaker. I could feel myself able to move again. My limbs weren't aching, my eyes weren't blurry and my breathing wasn't slow. Destroy!! A light erupted. It was neither gold or white, but light. I couldn't see what was there. But I felt weight under my feet all of a sudden. Destroy!!! The floor. The light was the floor. Gravity was showing me. I felt my body being slowly lowered out of this endless ocean of blue. I felt a light drag like I was sinking, but I was still breathing, and I felt dry. Filthy wings! Birds and Bats alike A shadow started to form over the light, but it kept retreating when it covered too much. It clawed at it, but it made no mark. A glowing read eyes and multiplied blue lights emitted from it. No God It's mouth moved. It's the same voice. It's the voice. But's it's scared. No Satans No, not scared. Not worse than that either. In pain? More Power! It continue stockade at the light, but couldn't break it. I looked down upon it. It's face was broken and shredded. Mustn't sleep! It's lights stared dampening. It turned its head away from the light and stare at me. Half its body and several other pieces were missing. It wasn't human. It's was some beast. Agreed teeth and claws. Horns and wings. Tails and spikes. Awaken! . . . Wake up! . . . 'Who are you?' Part 2 "Hey, wake up!" "Gaah!" I sat up. I was at my desk, with Shoda breathing over me. I looked up at the clock, wiping away the sleep from my eyes. 12:56. I'd slept, or whatever I was doing for . . . nearly three and half hours? I was nearly at the end of my lunch and I hadn't even eaten. Ok, that may not have been the worst of my problems, but after . . . whatever happened that made me miss my entire rest of the morning, I was still feeling a little exhausted and hadn't eaten in six hours. Cut me some slack. I lost all my fatigue, and apart from feeling a little drowsy, I was quite well rested. "Don't be so jumpy, man." "You're right. Sorry." "Any hot babes?" I jumped as he suddenly sprung that in me. "Wh-what?" "Come on, you remember; Chiba Takeshi took you to the Eccentric Club to see your girlfriend. And everyone knows girls that hot surround themselves with other girls just as hot." "Where do you get your logic?" Is this all he has been thinking about since I left the classroom? Well, since he's obviously not bruised or beaten, he was peeping, or at least caught peeping, which is . . . better? I guess. Still what could he possibly have thought was more interesting than his lifestyle choice? He was about to answer my very question. "Well, remember the file I 'loaned' you the other day?" "Yes, th-." My eyes widened when I realised where he was taking this conversation. "Please, no." It was bad enough that he was overly perverted. But the fact he was building an Encyclopaedia Paraphilia on the girls he spied was drawing a whole new level between stalking and obsession. The worst part is I actually stooped to find its usefulness. While the end result would have been good if everything was still normal in my life, (normal being the removal of all new information past 9:00 pm last night to now, meaning the Angels and Devils stuff), resorting to it was a low blow all the same. He whipped his right hand, and like a magician with cards, he pulled out three other files from his personal "hammer space" "Using my 'appreciative' skills, I have spent morning buckling through my files and I pulled out the files on the rest of the lovely ladies of the Exhibition Club." "Nooo." Despite my obvious disco fort to his topic of choice, he generally ignored my repetition of complaints. "Starting with your princess, young squire; we have Akane Naberius: 152cm, B84/W58/H83. I gave her an 8/10 because she wasn't as big in the breasts or buttocks as I like, but being foreign has its perks and the lovely description of your encounter with her have made me reconsidered. Thanks to your inside information, she is now a permanent 9, . . . unless her bust and/or hip sizes increase." After reviewing a 'glowing' report on the girl I was dating, Shoda thought it was appropriate to keep on talking about this. I was starting to wonder if he was dropped on his head into someone's cleavage when he was a baby. Buried between two bouncy bux- . . . Great, now I'm thinking like him too. "According to various reports, her best friend is the Shunji Masako: 155cm, B75/W55/H79. Traditional Japanese bred. Master at kenjutsu, iaijutsu, and the ancient art of battōjutsu. Despite her more athletic build, she still has a lot there to be desired, but a much more disciplined attitude is a turn-off. To which I concede to a 5-6 rating, but I'm still using evaluation time to its fullest." "Nooo." "Also among the group, we have Yagura Suzue: 144cm, B69/W55/H70. Petite, which is another word for cute and pretty, but mostly emotionless, which is no way a negative stroke. Despite being small, she is deadly. Black belt martial artist, with a speciality in military fighting styles, including Filipino Escrima, Russian Sambo, Brazilian style Jui Jitsu, Thai Mauy Thai, and Israeli Krav Maga. Still, I would be gentlemanly to give her a reasonably solid 6." "No. No." "Last and in no ways least, Hanada Kumi: 145cm, B73/W55/H78. Unlike the previous two, she does not specialise in something that is aimed at killing guys like us." *cough* you. "A rather more typical all-rounder, not really good in one sort of area, and falls into the more commonly stereotypes easily, which only makes this easier. Pretty and shy, hard to lie. My type personally, which is why I would easily bump her higher tier at the drop of a hat. But in remembrance and respect to my comrades of KSATT, I am forced to look beyond my personal preference and score her 7.5." "No. *bam* No. *bam* No. *bam* No. *bam* No. *bam* No. *bam*" I was slamming my head on the desk now. If he couldn't take a hint that I didn't want to listen, then nothing was going to stop him. I only stopped when I couldn't hear him speaking anymore. I lifted my head. I was a little woozy, but whacking your head was going to do that. I saw him looking utterly confused. Confused? "You sick or something?" I buried my face again, rolling my eyes at how dense he was to what I was doing fir the entire time. "Something like that." My muffled response was blatantly sarcastic. Truthfully, yes, I was sick of it. I couldn't deal with both of these new problems today: I had one side where I made a friend who rambles on constantly like a pervert alarm. I got it. The man enjoys looking at boobs. But that was only the cream on top of the bitter coffee. Hiding spots, ratings, files. Seriously, I'd known him for less than a week and I'm being bombarded with all this. Then, I went on a date, and my entire perception of the world is flipped upside down; Devils, magic, gears, chess. Plus, it's a package deal. On top of her, there's her bestie who would stab me first chance she got, some guy with a purple arm that glares at me, a short girl with the ability to break me in half if she was told to, and another girl with wings that can talk. Two days, in just two days. I went from knowing little, to knowing way, way too much. I've been thrown from my confirm zone into a mad house the moment I started talking to these people. Ok, I admit that maybe one problem is supposedly greater than another, but for someone who has never tried drawing attention to himself, I would have preferred keeping it that way for a while longer. Thank God for the bell. The moment it started ringing, I sighed and rolled myself off the desk. "Right, that's me." I said, pulling myself like a limp puppet just waking up, and started working my feet forward. "I'll see you later." "Hey, can I have my folder back before you go." Folder, wha- oh, that folder. I reached into my bag, without turning around. I couldn't be bothered to see if anyone was looking. I wouldn't have been at all shocked if they had heard my head banging for the last minute. I pulled it out and handed it over. I didn't see where he put it, but it was going to be one of those 'better to never ask' answers. Especially since it was him. "See you around then, Zenji. Tomorrow, let's meet up in a new spot. I am enjoying what I've been seeing from you lately." Jesus. Out loud? I sighed. Knowing my luck, people will start thinking we're gay with kind of sentence building. I waved my hand, but I didn't bother stopping of looking. I just wanted the afternoon to end so I could go home and stay away from all this for night at the least. I think I deserved it after passing out from a snake devil's . . . venom attack ball of something- I can't think, just get what I mean and let's move on. -''No God. No Satans. More Power. Mustn't Sleep.'' Something inside me. That's what she said. Was the shadow it? That giant thing is inside me. I reached and placed my hand on my chest. I remembered, and I felt the gear still running over my ribs. The gold metal plating, with blue ascents, and a blue prism slap bang in the centre like a carved jewel. Maybe I should- nah. Best to leave it. If I asked any of them during school time, I have no idea what to say, or if they'll even know. Tomorrow then. I leave it till to Tomorrow. I walked into the classroom, and started making my way to my desk. . . . *gurghle* Huh? That was my stomach. I reached for it with both my hands. I felt a small pain in my guts. Why? I reached back into my bag. I took out my stuff looking for done pain killers. I hope this is just a stomach pain and nothing devilry. God knows I don't want anything to be worse than it should be. I placed my books out on the desk. Then my pencil case, my ruler, my lunchbox, my water bottle, my- . . . . . . . . . Oh crap. I forgot about lunch. My box is still full. *sigh* Too late now. This afternoon is going to be a long one. At least I'm just hungry. Nothing more. Part 3 I ate lunch at five minutes to four in the afternoon. I took long detour into town. Most if the other students went to the bus station or in that direction straight home. I know that foreign students live in the prepared residential area on the outskirts which is at best a half hour walk. But when you're foreign and going to school in another country, you'd definitely have money for the bus. My walk home was less than that that, around five to ten, but then my house was still close to the centre of the town, where basically everything was built around the school, so it was right in the centre. Back to lunch, my detour took me back to the park. I sat down on the bench, but I remembered to stay away from the fountain. I could not deal with another feathery freak. Plus, I didn't have a super powerful devil to fight him off for me. But, she'd more likely use me as a shield again. I opened my lunch up; it was still full, and I was absolutely watering over the thought of eating. Rice with pieces of hard boiled egg chopped and mixed together. A few pieces of whole fish with a side of spicy dip. And a pot of thick yogurt with a drizzle honey on top. I could feel my tongue getting loose. My lips were sinking into my mouth and watering themselves. *gurghle*gurghle* I agreed with my stomach. It was time to eat. I raised my chopsticks and started pecking into the box to eat. Grabbing into whatever I could hold onto quickly and shoving it down. "Lovely evening." "Agh!" I jumped, and knocked my lunch over. Rice and fish scattered over the grass and my lunch box laid upturned on the pathway. There was someone else here. "Relax, I'm not here to kill you." I turned my head, expecting to see another devil watching me. My eyes averted up a tree to a branch that hung over the path. There was a boy who looked old enough to be considered a new adult. He had dark hair, but very pale eyes. He laid there reclined with his back resting against the trunk, looking upwards at the sky. But what I didn't expect was a pair of black wings. Not bat wings, bird wings. A chilling spear scrapped down my spine. Forget lunch, I was going to be a main course. I remembered that one with the taste for eating humans. I swallowed a large mouthful. "Y-y-. You're o-o-one of th-them." "A fallen angel. Yeah." He replied nonchalantly. Just relaxing out limply like nothing else mattered. "I'm not the rogue that tried to kill you a night ago. I'm not even affiliated with him, he used to be affiliated with either us or the others, but doesn't like this new status quo we established." Either of us? I had no idea what he was on about. But here, alone, I was shaking. I wanted to believe that maybe he was telling me the truth that he wouldn't kill me, but I wasn't able to take that chance, neither could I run now. I was too scared to do either. I couldn't even reply, now I was trying too hard to hold in my breath. My previous repos nee was so shaken I had forgotten to breath. I had to summon my sacred gear, but I didn't know how to. Only Akane knew how to pull it out of me. I couldn't do that. Not on my own. A cold chill ran down my spine, slowly creeping down from my neck till it reached the base of my waistline. He was staring intently. "Hmm, from the looks of it, the current Devils here are making a claim on you. And yet you're still human I see, are you not?" My teeth were chattering now, like there was a real chill in the air. I watched as he effortless and fearlessly stood on the branch. Extending his wings out to full length. I only noticed now, but he had eight wings, four pairs. "You don't talk much. Probably why you're still human. I leave you alone then. By the way, if you see any of my comrades around, I would suggest running, because they shouldn't be hanging around here." He kicked off from the branch. I heard the bark crack as he springboards himself into the air. His wings caught hold of the air and now he was flying. Air currents swept the park, knocking me over while I was least expecting it. I hit the ground backwards and immediately I rolled over to avoid losing sight of him. He was too far away now, but I could have sworn he was smiling. Giving a short salute with his right hand he ascended higher. "See you around." . . . Night crept in quicker than expected. I ran of home as fast as I could. I threw my bag over my shoulders and scavenged my lunch box excluding the contents and ran home. My experience with the Fallen Angel had shaken me to the core. But he had let me go, so maybe it's overreacting a little too much to this. Wasn't I? "Hey Mum, I'm home." I opened the front door as soon as I reached home. I shut the door behind and took off my shoes. I threw my bag onto the stairs . . . "Mum?" I heard no reply. I called for a third time. "Mum? You here?" The house was dark now that I noticed it. None of the lights were on. Everything was turned off. I peered into the lounge, but there was no one there. A cold spike fell soflty down my neck and onto my back. My eye grew wide, and my breath was shaking. I cuffed my mouth to muffle the sound. Where was she? Devils? Fallen Angels? I only just found out and now I was scared out of my wits. I closed the door and I turned around slowly. I was now facing the kitchen door. My fingers trembling as they reached out for the door in front of me. I pulled it open and flicked the lights. No one. But I was still afraid. She was not here. No one was here. I slumped into a seat, but I held to my chest. I could feel a strong impulse, like something wanted to break out. Whether ot was me who wanted the piece of armour that I only now knew I had, or . . . that thing was attempting to claw itself from my chest. I could not be certain. I caught a look around the room, but I found nothing that settled me. An empty room, in an empty house. I never bothered me, but now I was afraid. . . . I then caught something out. Peaking out of the corner of my eye was a yellow sheet. With . . . black scribbles- It was on the fridge. A note. Stuck on a magnet. What sort of note? I dared not find out. I sat there, eyeing it. . . . I gulped as I reached out and pulled my self up. My every footstep was heavy and not I felt like I wanted to run. I turned my head and snatched it from the fridge. . . . . . . . . . My eyes were shut. I coldnt bear the thought of thinking the worst, or even seeing what was going to appear on paper. . . . *gulp* I took a peak. . . . Pizza's in the oven, be back soon. Love, Mum . . . I collapsed back into my chair. I was sweating and I was near the edge. I wiped my brow, and and pulled myself towards the oven. Part 4 Three hours later. Mum was home, but I stayed in my room. I was just so scared when I thought about the worst coming up on me. Those devils at school; Takeshi, Masako, Kumi, Suzue, Akane. That Fallen Angel in the park, with his multiple wings. That snake-devil thing. It wanted to eat me. I barely survived that attack, and now I was scared. Last week, I was worried that I was never going to enjoy life, being stuck in a limbo of solitude of my own creation. Now, I was scared thinking that my life would be over in a second. I was breaking down here. Shut that thought! No, you shut up! I- gaah! I put my head between a squeeze with my palms. I hate this. I hate all of this. I feel like scratching my skull open. I can't get that horrid voice out of my head. I can't tell if its even my voices that are talking to me. I feel like I'm going insane. The worst part, I can't tell anyone about this. Because then, they will definitely think I'm crazy. Not that I have anybody to really talk to. I could not tell this to my mum for sure, she wouldn't believe me anyways. Shoda wouldn't take it seriously even if he did believe me. Plus, he'd find some way to turn it into something- I won't go any further. I won't even try asking the devils. I barely know them, and they already know everything. I'm sure what I saw was real. Maybe I should then. But not any of them though, that atmosphere and vibe of that room just makes me feel so unsettled. I can't really say that it would be the most comfortable of conversations in a place like that. The only one I would be able to talk to about this, would be Akane. But, at this hour, I dare not leave. I'm too afraid to step out this house anymore, especially at night. Ignorance to the supernatural was my bliss, and now I have lost my safety net as it was. I'm too aware of the world and now it scares me to think that I could die out there by a force beyond my power. Oh, Akane. I wish you were here. I need to talk to you. - But if you really want to, you could always give wishing a try. But you'd have to really want it. . . . Wait. That's it, isn't it? I reached into my trouser pockets. Yes, it was still here; the flyer. The one that she gave me. The green magic circle on the cover was identical to the one that surrounded her during the battle that took place earlier this morning. It seemed impossible thinking about the summoning of three elemental type attacks from a single spell, especially when considering summoning both fire and ice at the same time despite being opposing elements. Beyond that, I was doubting how a wish would make this piece of paper anything but a piece of paper. But in a world where angels and devils are killing each other, I can't exactly question this with logic since I barely grasp this. I tightened my grip on the flyer and I held my breath. (Don't ask me why, it just seemed like it would increase my concentration.) I put all my thoughts into a single word: Akane I pictured her black hair that laid across her shoulders and curling across her uniform. The dark red-purple eyes that held a soft acceptance in them, and could shine in a multitude of shades and yet still be so distinctive that it struck your gaze. Though I never really took a good enough detail into her body type, due in part because I was too embarrassed to take a long enough peak, Shoda's 'inspection' and three sizes where now burned into my mind and I could recall them under her uniform. . . . I'm starting to feel the perverseness rubbing off onto me. *shudder* I had a good image of her in my mind. I put all my concentration into this and now, I guess that I have to wait for the wish to come true. . . . . . . I could picture her leaning over me, eyes closed and with a huge smile on her face, like I was a puppy she wanted to pick up and rub against her face to feel the softness of my fur against her cheek. Maybe her head is slightly tilted, how cutely she playfully does that like I'm a child that is asking twenty questions and shes just smiling at my youthful ignorance. . . . Maybe she is a lot older than she looks- No, concentrate on her, not her age! Ok, I had her, now I'm still waiting. . . . I could sense a passing light . . . but I could not tell if anything happened. I opened my eyes. "Gaah!" "Hey, Zeni-kun. Didn't expect to see you this way." I leapt back into the back of my bed until I hit the back wall. She was there in font of me. Just as I pictured it; standing but leaning over till she was right in my face. I definitely called the head tilt. I started to panick as I tried to open my mouth. Despite the fact I called her here, I was having trouble getting my worries out of my mouth. Tell her already, you idiot Right. Ok then. I gulped and I let out the first thing that came to mind. "I w-wished really hard." . . . Moron. Shut up! Despite the stupid question, she found it adorable, but she didn't move from her position. Opening her eyes briefly before closing them again, she replied "so you did. Looks like I didn't need to teleport here on my own." I stared at her. The initial shock had left me slightly sweating, but I knew I was in no immediate danger being near her. I licked my lips and attempted to make a more . . . confident reply. "Wh-what?" "Well, how else was I suppose to see you this evening? I did say I would." "How?" Her smile dropped to neutral. She stood up and had to take a few seconds to collect her thoughts before giving me an answer. "You mean that. It's what Devils use when they make contracts with humans." Ignorance was really starting to fall like a brick wall. At this rate, I might as well start jumping ship and leave my reality behind me because I was no longer sitting on the fence between these two different views of this world. "Contracts?" "Yeah, see; we Devils hand these out to humans either personally or through familiars. Then humans summon us through the seals and we make a contract together." "Why?" "Well, humans require something, a devil is able to provide it and then we work out a deal, like offering payment." "I meant why do Devils make contracts with humans?" "Oh, for a devil, the benefit is that making pacts raises your social status. For a Devils peerage, that's a big deal. Only high or ultimate-class Devils can have peerages, so one of the way for a low or mid-class devil to increase their rank is getting pacts. That's one of the easiest ways at least." "So, why do you do it then?" She didn't answer me immediately, which started making me shiver slightly. Did I say something wrong to her? Was she no mad? Did I tick her off too far? Was I already annoying her? I gulped at the thought. I shook slightly when she leaned back over and started looking me like she was bored with the conversation, but still, smiling over it. "You ask a lot of questions." She then pressed her hands onto my bed. I stared at them as she put her weight onto them and the sheets began sinking into the mattress. "Just relax, Zeni-kun. You should consider yourself lucky; only the top percentage of humans are allowed to make pacts with a high-class devil like me. Just answering your summoning directly is a big honour." I watched as she lifted her right hand and it pressed back down, closer towards me. I felt frozen stiff just watching as she started moving forward towards me. One eye was focused on he movements and the other was locked with her sights. Apart of my mind was stuck and unable to make the move to leap away, and the rest of it was melting under gaze. It wa like my head was waiting to jump out the window and my body was feeling a buzzing that just wanted this to happen. I nodded in response to her reasoning to show I hadn't completely blanked out. "Uh huh." She was now within range as she started pulling herself between my legs and approaching my torso. "Since this is your first time using it properly, I'll make an exception for you, since it's you." "Exception?" Her fingers started crawling up my chest. My heart was pounding, like it was getting excited, but I was also feeling like it wanted to burst from my ribs. "With all the information I've given you, I would have already earned your soul." "M-my s-s-soul?" I was almost wide eyes to the point my eyes were going to fall out their sockets. But she continued smiling as her . . . front, was pressed against my front. I could feel my limbs trembling, but instead of trying to move, I was fighting against them from what felt like an attempt to grab onto her. Her eyes locked into mine and her right hand started tracing the dips and the edges of my face, especially around my cheeks, then to my chin and then my lips. "But, I'm willing to let you off with a kiss instead." "Whah- a k-k- . . ." I couldn't finish as she just dived in like she always did. I felt my mind go fuzzy again, but this time, I started feeling like I was slowly sinking into it. I started feeling my resistances dropping and my limbs were out of my minds notice. With my arms, I wrapped them around her, holding onto her like I didn't want to ever let her out of my grip. And my legs entwined themselves around hers. My eyes fell shut slowly like I was drifting off into sleep, but I felt an urge to start moving my mouth a little. I started unintentionally fighting for her lower lip, as she then proceeded to do the same for mine. My tongue was itching to leave, but I kept it under lock-and-key. As her hands dropped to my shoulders and her right hand started feeling around my left arm and across to my chest. I started using my own hands and I started feeling her bra strap through her shirt. Without thinking, both my hands started feeling their way down towards her skirt. I dug them in and started pulling them back up underneath her shirt. All sounds were drowning out of my mind, but I heard a faint moan from Akane occasionally. I felt my chest getting hotter, but I couldn't stop myself, not when I was starting to feel addicted to this feeling. That buzzingness, the fuzziness, I liked it. I never felt it before, but that taste was too much for me to stop. I lost complete control of my actions, my mind was no longer thinking about what I was doing. I could feel her in my arms, her scent, her taste. Her tongue started poking a little, but it playfully teased me to try and follow it with my own. My fingers started crawling down her back and back to her skirt, until I was nearing the edges of her waistline and down towards her- Equate! I flinched my hands and my mind snapped back into the present. My Sacred Gear flashed and the weight of metal was now encasing over my torso. Golden armour plating with a solid dark blue jewel. Akane pulled off of me and stared down at it. She looked at it blankly for a short while, before laughing a little. "Oh! Hmmhmmhmmhmm, looks like it finally woke up. Didn't want to miss out on the fun, did you?" She playfully stroked her fingers against it, slightly smudging the surface. I doubted whatever was living inside would like to know that its gear was being imprinted with smudges. Destroy Yep, I called it- Crap. I'm hearing it again. That's not the point here though; "Wha-, How? How did I-." "Sacred Gears are brought out through the use of intense emotional responses." "Emotional responses?" My thoughts were suddenly forming back in my head, but I was starting to think I was being used like a laboratory guinea-pig. Pressing herself back down on top of me, she crossed her arms for support as I laid flat on my back now. She flicked up her legs and tilted her head again. "For you, the method I applied to you was lust." "Lust? So, all the inappropriate touching, the date, the- . . . k-k-kissing?" "All that, was to reinforce your strongest emotions. The seven deadly sins. Pride, Greed, Sloth, Gluttony, Wrath, Envy, and Lust. The strongest emotions to utilize, to bring out, to manipulate." Though the way that she was constructing the sentence seemed slightly off, I felt like a dagger was in my ribs. manipulate. Was none of this meant to be real or something. Was this just a set up to get . . . this? Was I right to think she was just using me? Was this even real for me? If so, if that is so, then why did it feel so- ? "All this-" Pressing her finger against my gear again and stroking it up and down, she answered. "It was to bring out your Sacred Gear. The moment I noticed you, I could sense its presence." Destroy. Destroy! "The creature inside?" Her expression dropped. I guess she wasn't expecting that. Wasn't expecting that I would know anything about this. "Huh? I breathed in and I pushed on. I occasionally felt my tongue getting caught around in my gums, but I continued. "I-I, heard your conversation. You, and your clu-, your peerage. Y-you were all talking about the creature locked in my chest. The one inside my Sacred Gear." Now her eyebrows were really interested. "You heard?" Though I had no evidence to support where I was when I heard about it all, or even witnessed it. I just knew tat it had something to do with the thing that was now wrapped around my chest. I tapped the jewel three times with my middle finger to signify this. "I felt like a disembodied spirit just floating around nowhere, but, yes I heard you speaking. All of you." "Have you found any leads?" "Not yet. No, it's proving more of a challenge, but we should find the right book within the next few days. A week at most if we pile through all we have-" "What is it?" I could hear voices on the other side of the circle. It was full of static and very loud sounds like explosions were occurring in the background. But I could hear from the responses that it her peerage calling her. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on, but it didn't sound good. back. *Boom* Sorry, my lady. But, *Bang*Crash* we were unable to take care of the situation without your intervention. He's back. At the school!" "Aaaaaaahhh!" *Rumble* got her! Senpai, the situation level has increased here. *Boom* I'm sorry that we've failed. Our response has proven too weak." king, we need you~~u~" Then it shut off. The circle was gone from her ear, and there was only silence. The look of disbelief in her eyes. That sad expression. And . . . a slight moment of fear. Three emotions quickly washed over Akane's face. Something felt heavy in my chest watching it, but it wasn't the Equalise Equip. It felt so horrible seeing this. She jumped straight off the bed and a magic circle appeared beneath her feet. "I have to go. I'm sorry." "Wait, Akane. Akane!" She was gone in a flash of light and I was left alone in my room. In the dark, again. Category:AdamantiumBladez Category:Fanon Story